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Same ole deer rifle question

drockcbr
There has been many threads devoted to this topic but i'll open another. I'm looking for advice/opinions on a couple of levels. I need to buy my first deer rifle and scope. I live in Texas and as much as I would love to don't see myself hunting game much larger than white-tails in the near future. My budget is about a $1000.00.
So:

1. What would be the "preferred" caliber?
2. Best bang for the buck in a stainless rifle
3. Best bang for the buck in scope selection
4. Would I get a better rifle/scope if I went the used route

I guess i'm asking if you had a $1000.00 what would be your choice.
Thanks in advance--Derek


"Well...everybody's gotta be somewhere"
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Comments

9 comments

Date Votes
  • Texas Hunter
    As an avid Texas Whitetail Deer hunter and slayer of that pestilence known as feral hogs,i highly recommend the .308.
    For years i used a 30-06,which my dear late mother bought me as a teenager and then in my late 20's i switched over to a .270,and then I
    finally in the last few years switched over to the .308.
    But in all honesty you really dont need that much gun(30-06 or 270) for a buck that's anywhere from 50-300 yards away from you when you squeeze the trigger.
    Although make no mistake about it, they are two of the best deer cartridges out there.
    And the .308 imho has a lot less recoil at the range VS the 06 and .270 and you can buy Nato spec or Wolf ammo for super cheap to practice with.
    Last year i shot a deer at around 90 yards using my 6mm and to my surprise it was dead before it hit the ground.
    Personally i have no problems with someone using a 243 or 6mm if they truely know the cartridges limitations and even more than that,can truely shoot well.
    On the other hand i also took a buck at 185 yards with a heart shot that kicked like a mule and fell dead less than 25 feet from the spot he was standing in when i shot him.

    As far as rifles i dont think you can go wrong with the Remington 700 and it's beautifully adjustable trigger.

    As far as scopes are concerned i would go with a Leupold VX-1 if you are on tight budget and a VX-II if you are not.
    Same with the scope base and rings.
    A package like this can set you back from $600.00 to as much $800.00.
    Lastly i am sure you are going to get a lot of other opinions coming your way.


    mike
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  • bperdue21
    i am a fan of the remington 700's. i like the 270, but you can't go wrong with the 30-06 or the 308. another good caliber is the .280, but you would have to go the ruger route to get a new one. their stainless synthetics are pretty nice, but trigger work on them is a must. the remington ss versions cost more and may put you over budget. i would top it off with a Bushnell ELite 4200 w/ rainguard. my elites are super clear and are great scopes. in my opinion, i buy new. i say this because you never know what a used gun has been through. at least with a new one, you know exactly what the gun has gone through.

    When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.
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  • reddnek
    I'm partial to my Ruger model 77 in 257 roberts can't really see the need for anything bigger for whitetails.the rifle ,sling, and Swift 3x9 scope cost me around $800
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  • BOBBYWINS
    Dollar for dollar,the Savage line certainly deserves a close look.
    On the other hand,if your anywhere near an ACADEMY store,see what they've got in Browning's line-up.(I LOVE the 60 degree bolt throw.)

    My composite stalker(which I bought barely used for $500 at a pawn shop.)was originally from an ACADEMY.The whole rig,in .270,w/Vari-X II,3-9x50,Leupold,mounts and all was right about $1000,new.

    As far as caliber goes,I have no real experience w/the .308,but the .270 has served me very well.[^]So well,in fact,that I haven't seen the need to try anything else.[;)]

    Happy hunting!

    BW

    IT'S WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM AFRAID.
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  • Beeramid
    quote:Originally posted by BOBBYWINS
    Dollar for dollar,the Savage line certainly deserves a close look.
    On the other hand,if your anywhere near an ACADEMY store,see what they've got in Browning's line-up.(I LOVE the 60 degree bolt throw.)

    My composite stalker(which I bought barely used for $500 at a pawn shop.)was originally from an ACADEMY.The whole rig,in .270,w/Vari-X II,3-9x50,Leupold,mounts and all was right about $1000,new.

    As far as caliber goes,I have no real experience w/the .308,but the .270 has served me very well.[^]So well,in fact,that I haven't seen the need to try anything else.[;)]

    Happy hunting!

    BW

    IT'S WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM AFRAID.


    I was going to type something very similar, I agree 100%. A-bolt II in .270. Leupold or Nikon scope with a 44 or 50mm Objective lens should make you a very happy man.







    Man's last hope... The Star Wars Kid.. Jedi Master!

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  • john in jax
    What kind of hunting are you going to be doing? A big long, 22" or 24" bbl rifle is perfect for still hunting and long shots, A 16" or 18" bbl carbine would be better for slipping through brush and long walks to a stand.

    All the calibers mentioned above are great. I'd have the rank the .308 and .306 as my top choices but you can't go wrong with a .270 either. If you think you most of your shot are going to be long ones the 7mm-08 has a lot of bang. The 7mm Rem Mag is a VERY powerful round with a fairly flat trajectory - - capable of very long shots and killing almost anything on the North American continent.

    You need a good scope to compliment an accurate rifle. I like a large 50mm objective lens (to gather more light) and 30mm tubs seem to get more of it to my eye. I've tried scopes with electronic this or illuminated that and have not been very happy with them
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  • tneff1969
    The info Texas Hunter has given is just about all you need , I have hunted in Texas my entire life and use pretty much the same equipment he has suggested. The savage will also serve you well , also what part of Texas will you be unting in ???
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  • Donovan Kirkpatrick
    The CZ 550, Full Stock, rifle is exteremy accurate and pleasant to shoot. It shoots all manner of 308s into small groups. It is a handy length for stand hunting or hog hunting from a UTV. You can get a rifle and a good scope for under a K. Buy a used Leopold variable. I saw a silver one at a local store cheap. They show up on here and other sites at very reasonable prices. I think a Leupold fixed 6X42 with a post is a wonderful combination. The warranty can not be beat.
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  • agostino
    Today's rifles and scopes are a lot like today's cars; nobody makes a bad one. When I started hunting, every country gas station carried ammo and sold hunting licenses. I chose a .30-06 because the ammo was available everywhere. So consider two points. You want ammo in whatever caliber you choose to be readily available; you also want inexpensive target ammo in that caliber. There are a lot of effective calibers that are hard to find and expensive, and a lot of great guns and scopes that most of us would have to take out a loan to buy.
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